Best Restaurants for 1st Timers

[Kel61085]

We're traveling to DW in October with friends. This will be their first time in DW. We want to show them a good time. What are the best restaurants for first timers to DW?

 

[dachsie]

I would go to Tusker House for a character meal. Ragland Rd has Irish dancing which is fun to watch. At Epcot there is Food and Wine so lots of choices there. BOG lunch for MK would be nice

 

[JerseyJanice]

@dachsie has some great suggestions.

I think the restaurants in the World Showcase at Epcot are wonderful. San Angel Inn, Biergarten, Chefs de France, Rose and Crown, and Marrakesh are great choices. Not too expensive and not likely to be similar to anywhere at home.

 

[Shanti]

We're traveling to DW in October with friends. This will be their first time in DW. We want to show them a good time. What are the best restaurants for first timers to DW?

Here are a few favorites:

Magic Kingdom:

• Dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table, to get the experience of eating in the castle, plus the very Disney experience of meeting a lot of princesses.
• Breakfast or lunch at Crystal Palace, which is very pretty inside & out, has that Victorian Disney feel that Walt seemed so fond of. You will also meet Winnie the Pooh & his friends here.

Epcot:

• Breakfast at Garden Grill. They serve a very good breakfast, & you'll meet several characters, as well.

Animal Kingdom:

• Tusker House: good variety of foods, lovely African theming, you'll meet Mickey & some of his friends

Hollywood Studios:

• Sci Fi Dine-In Theater: restaurant is themed like a 50's drive-in. You'll sit at tables in pretend cars, while watching clips from classic B-movies & classic theater ads.

Resort dining:

• Hoop Dee Doo Review dinner show, which is genuinely funny & entertaining. (Fort Wilderness Resort)
• Yachtsman Steakhouse for the best signature dining on property imo. (Yacht Club Resort)

 

[_Kristi_]

If this is an older group (no little kids) I would recommend Jungle Navigation Skipper Canteen at Magic Kingdom. It's by the Jungle Cruise. Google image search the food. We love it!

 

[Huff]

Depends on your party. All adults? Kids, boys, girls, teens? With young kids I'd go to some of the character buffets. With young girls my pick would be Akerhus Royal Banquet Hall. If its all adults I'd probably skip the character buffets. Many recommend Hoop Dee Doo dinner show is tons of fun for a group.

You're gonna see every restaurant named here! Everyone has their likes and dislikes. It really depends on what type of food and experience your party enjoys.
Here is my picks not in any particular order. We haven't been to many of the more expensive signature restaurants so none are listed.

Table service sit down restaurants, have only been for dinner to these:
Coral Reef in Epcot. A one of a kind experience with tables viewing a floor to ceiling aquarium. Food is very good, but its the uniqueness thats the appeal.
Ohana. A meat lovers paradise. Staff brings unlimited skewers of a variety of meats to your table. Polynesian themed. Very popular, reserve early.
Kona. Located at Polynesian Resort next to Ohana. We've always had good food and service.
San Angel Inn in Epcot. Fairly authentic Mexican food in a unique atmosphere, moonlit volcano and boat ride. Won't find typical tacos and burritos here!
The Wave in Contemporary. Excellent food.
Boma in Animal Kingdom Lodge. Excellent buffet for the adventurous type. Walk out to view the animals in the savannas.
Yak and Yeti in Animal Kingdom. African and Asian selections that are excellent.

Counter service lunches:
Be Our Guest in Magic Kingdom. Good food and fun atmosphere inside the beasts castle. Popular, reserve early.
Flame Tree BBQ in Animal Kingdom. Decent fast good BBQ.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Whispering Canyon. Good fun.

 

[JB097]

We're traveling to DW in October with friends. This will be their first time in DW. We want to show them a good time. What are the best restaurants for first timers to DW?

We love the different restaurants at Epcot, San Angel Inn is probably our favorite for dinner. Sci Fi at Hollywood studios is one of our favorite lunch spots. We’ve had some really great dining experiences at all the different resorts too. California Grill does an amazing Sunday brunch!

 

[Mr & Mrs DD]

I would suggest some fun or unique places.
The Sci-Fi - The food is average but the atmosphere is great. It is set up like a drive-in movie. Your table looks like a car and you watch old sci-fi movies clips.
Biergarten - German Buffet with live entertainment.
Any number of Character meals. We usually have breakfast at Tusker House.
Whispering Canyon - All you care to eat
50's Prime Time Cafe - Set up to look like a house in the 1950's. Home style cooking with some staff interaction. Good food.
O'hana - All you care to eat.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

As others have said, it kinda depends on your travel party. My general suggestions for nostalgia/atmosphere would be:

MK - BOG or CRT (because eating in one of the castles is kind of a must
Epcot - Biergarten (really fun atmosphere and good food....but really a lot of the restaurants in Epcot fall into that category)
HS - Sci Fi (the best themed restaurant in all of WDW, IMO)
AK - Tusker House (great food, classic characters)

 

[holden]

Tiffins or Nomad Lounge in AK.

 

[piratepride]

MK - Breakfast at Crystal Palace
Lunch at Be Our Guest
Dinner at Liberty Tree tavern

HS - 50's Diner or Sci-Fi

AK - Tusker House for any meal

EP - Lunch at Via Napoli
Dinner at Teppan Edo

Resorts - Poly...Ohana, IMO the best dinner at Disney!
DS - Wolfgang Puck Express for any meal. Brealfast is great and nice menu for lunch & dinner.
Splitzville Luxury Lanes for lunch or dinner

Have fun!!!!!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

For first timers, I would suggest at least one "Mickey" character meal, one "Princess" character meal, at least one signature and some of WDW's more unique dining spots.

For a "Mickey" meal, our favorite is Tusker House in AK, but if you want the full Fab 5, go to Chef Mickey's (I would recommend breakfast as the food isn't great and that will be your cheapest meal option there). Also, with Chef Mickey's being at CR, you are showing them one of the original WDW resorts and, with the monorail passing through, it's WDW at its best.

For a "princess" meal, if budget allows, I would take the to CRT to get the full castle experience. If you want to save a little money, go to Akershus which is also fantastic.

For a signature meal, although Artist Point is our favorite, I would recommend Cali Grill as the view is just amazing.

For some unique dining options, consider Sci-Fi and Biergarten.

You may also want to consider HDDR. Visiting Ft. W is a lot of fun and it's a really fun show!

 

[kaytieeldr]

If it's not your first visit, what restaurants do you like? Take them to those.
California Grill Brunch
Artist Point
50's Prime Time

 

[KenHutch]

Lets see

Hollywood Studios 50's and Sci Fi
Epcot Just about everything
Magic Kingdom BoG and CRT once time at least
Animal Kingdom Tusker House
Resorts Resorts are where WDW shines thers is Boma, Jiko, Ohana, Whispering Canyon even 1900 Park is worth at least one look.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

I cannot talk enough about Hollywood Brown Derby. I didn't go to the actual restaurant, I went to the lounge and it was phenomenal. It was my favorite meal of the trip.

 

[chalee94]

MK - Be Our Guest
Epcot - Biergarten
HS - Sci Fi
AK - tougher to say, I like Chef Mwanga's Ribs but there are several good QS options

http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2016/...-at-harambe-market-in-disneys-animal-kingdom/

Resort dining:

Boma at AKL is a must for me - Jiko is great if buffets aren't your thing
Kimonos at the Swan is my favorite for sushi
GF has some good options
Just depends what you are looking for